Visit from prestigious medics for meeting on bowel cancer research

A LOCAL charity, which is at the forefront of research into certain types of cancer, welcomed a visit from two experts from Brazil earlier this year.

The Pelican Cancer Foundation, based in The Ark Conference Centre at Basingstoke hospital, was visited by Professor Angelita Habr-Gama and Dr Rodrigo Perez from University of São Paulo School of Medicine on February 18.

The meeting, which was led by Basingstoke consultant surgeon Mr Brendan Moran, also saw 60 clinicians from around England come together to learn more about the current research on bowel cancer.

Sarah Crane, chief executive officer of Pelican Cancer Foundation, said: “We are dedicated to curing and improving quality of life for patients with bowel cancer.

This meeting was important so that doctors can see what research is underway and how cancer treatments are progressing and advancing.

“There is a strong ‘ripple’ effect to our work and every bowel cancer patient will have benefited from the progress in treatment enabled by our research and shared clinical practice, often without realising.”

The foundation supports medical education and medical research into ‘below-the-belt’ cancer such as lower bowel, liver, prostate and bladder cancer.

At last month’s meeting, talks were given by the two Brazilian medics, as well as other leading surgeons including Mr Nick Battersby of HHFT, Dr Gina Brown from the Royal Marsden and Mr Alex Mirnezami from Southampton General hospital.